Somali soldiers desert in Mogadishu
Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:30:35 GMT
A large number of Somali government soldiers have deserted and joined the Union of Islamic Court fighters (UIC), a report says.
A Press TV correspondent reporting from south Mogadishu says that these soldiers have handed over their weapons to the UIC. According to the correspondent, the reason given for putting down their arms was that they can no longer tolerate the Somali government's brutality against civilians.
The soldiers were paid money in exchange for the weapons they turned in, our reporter said, and added that they will soon be sent home.
Quoting eye witnesses, our correspondent said that the Bakaraha market in Mogadishu also came under attack, as vendors fled for their lives amid a continuous barrage of shelling that left five civilians dead.
A local notable Sheikh Sharif has said he supports the new decision taken by the UIC and other groups in the country to have one unitary leadership.
Meanwhile, Al Shabaab and the UIC forces have the city of Kismayu completely under their control. Al- Shabaab and UIC soldiers are patrolling the streets of a largely deserted Kismayu.